Fun and Games
by strawberryandvanilla
Summary: One wager will change the lives of two best friends for ever.
1. The Wager

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline._

_A/N: The story is set in 1526, Henry is still married to Catherine but Charles is a widower. Anne and Jane are closer in age to each other than in history, with Anne being nineteen and Jane being seventeen. Henry and Charles are in their early/mid thirties. Looks wise Jane Seymour is based on Anita Briem and Anne Boleyn on Natalie Dormer._

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><p>Charles Brandon invited himself into the King's chamber without as much as a word or a bow. He and the King had been friends for a good number of years now and were past all that silly protocol that required him to bow at bended knee for the whim of a man he thought of more as a brother than his sovereign. Charles was the only man bar Thomas More who could act as though Henry was a man and not the autonomous ruler of a country, yet he could only act like this in private, never in public.<p>

"Why so glum, my friend?" Henry noted from his desk as Charles threw himself half heartedly into the chair opposite him. He was peering over a letter from his nephew, the King of Spain and was rather glad for the distraction, for the King wrote the most tedious letters.

"I am bored" Charles announced, resting his booted feet upon the desk.

"Bored? We have the whole court and kingdom at our feet and you proclaim you are bored?" Henry laughed bemused.

"Everything has been done, there is no sweetness to it any more" he explained. There was only so many times you could get drunk day after day before it lost it's appeal and the taste of wine became bland. He could have a woman but she would never be a woman he cherished. They were usually no better than bejewelled whores anyway. Even the thrill of the hunt and joust no longer excited him and he found himself willing for them to come to a quick climax so that he could find a better hobby but nothing ever seemed to take his fancy.

"Perhaps you should go in pursuit of worthier lady" Henry voiced as he returned to the various letters that swamped his desk, taking up his peacock quill and making various scribbles on different documents. He let the tip of his quill tickle his chin whenever he paused in a moment of thought.

"There are few worthy ladies at court and those who are, are difficult to entice" Charles commented.

"What is this?" Henry chuckled, throwing down his quill and giving Charles his full attention, "Finally, Charles Brandon is having a hard time with the ladies? Perhaps old age is catching up with you" he teased.

It was a notion almost unheard off. Charming Charles Brandon, the man who could seduce a woman with a single look. The most notorious womaniser of the court, seducer of the Duke of Buckingham's daughter and Henry's own dear, late sister. He would have thought that the ladies would be throwing themselves at him, but perhaps in his maturing they found him less desirable than when he was a young buck full of virility and vitality. Had old age finally caught up with him?

"We lesser mortals cannot compete with a crown, we have to rely entirely on our charm in seducing a lady" Charles dismissed the King's taunts. His youth and desirability was a sore subject to him and he didn't like to think that he was losing his magic but he had to admit that his conquests were becoming fewer and far in between since the death of Margaret.

But Henry took offence to this comment and rose to his feet so swiftly that it took Charles aback and he thought his friend had been possessed by a demon.

"Crown? I do not woo with my crown, but with my handsome looks and charm" he declared and he genuinely believed this.

"Bollocks!" Charles laughed and this infuriated Henry even more. "If you were like the rest of us you would not be so successful. All women want the chance to say they have fucked a King!" was his crass response but by this time Henry had managed to calm himself a little, just as More had instructed him to do so. Everyone knew that the King had an explosive temper but few dared to openly provoke it.

"How little you know of women, Charles" he said after a couple of clear, calming breaths and he sat himself back upon his seat. But Charles was not going to allow anyone to tell him that he did not understand women, let alone that he could no longer capable of seducing a lady.

"A wager then! A challenge! To seduce one lady of the other's choosing" Charles declared and Henry's eyes lit up with excitement. He always loved a challenge and it was made all the better when there was a prize at stake.

"Very well. What are the rules?"

"No bribery. No use of Kingly..." Charles began but Henry interrupted him,

"Or Ducal" Henry added with a mischievous smile.

"Or Ducal influence" Charles repeated with the same smile upon his face before he continued, "No means of force, and no hags! Whoever succeeds first is the winner."

"It is a deal then" Henry declared and practically jumped up from his seat to waltz around the table to shake Charles' hand in a gentleman's agreement. "And what is the prize?"

"Will the lady not be prize enough herself?" Charles grinned but Henry did not look impressed. Instead he chose his own prize.

"If I win, I get your best horses" Henry announced. Charles was about to protest but knew there was no point. He was proud of his horses, who were strong, agile and fast. He considered them the best horses in the kingdom and they were almost certainly far finer than the King's, a matter which he had always prided himself on. It actually amused him that the King had inadvertently shown himself to be envious of him for his horses for there were few things that could make a King envious regarding worldly possessions.

"And if I win, I get to rule the country for a week as your regent" he negotiated. He liked his Ducal powers and his ambitious side had been slowly building up in his mind, most probably due to the strong, regal influence of his late wife, so much that he often wondered what would happen if Henry would leave him in charge of the country when he went on his campaigns rather than leaving the country at the mercy of his Queen.

"So long as you do not partake in foreign matters and do not declare war, it is a deal" Henry informed him and Charles found these as acceptable terms and so took hold of his friend's hands and gave it a strong, firm shake.

"So, who is your chosen victim?" Henry asked as he went to fetch the pitcher of wine from the side cabinet that he had ordered his page to leave him so that he could spend the afternoon in peace. It was proving not so peaceful at the moment but rather exciting actually as he waited eagerly to discover the identity of the woman he would soon be wooing and bedding.

Charles thought long and hard for a minute, there was an array of women at court and yet most of them would spread their legs easily for them just because they were brazen hussies in disguise of beautiful, refined ladies. In fact he had bedded most of them already. No, he needed someone new, someone _he_ had never even managed to bed. And then it suddenly dawned upon him. A woman had tried to seduce during one of the summer balls and had thought would jump at the chance to sleep with a Duke but she had cruelly rejected him after making him believe that she would fold like a piece of paper. She was not a prudish woman, no where near, no she was bold and flirtatious. She mastered her eyes well and could give as good as she got from any man who dared to take her on. Charles thought she would have been an easy conquest but he had been very wrong indeed.

"Mistress Anne Boleyn" he revealed with a sly grin. The regency was as good as his now.

"Boleyn? A relation to Mary?" Henry inquired with a raised eye brow.

"Her sister" Charles replied and soon the whole room was filled with Henry's great roar of a laugh.

"Oh Charles, you make this too easy for me" he managed to say through his laughter.

"On the contrary. Mistress Anne is not like her sister. She may act like the little harlot but it is a lot harder than it looks to breach **her** defences. She is in short, nothing better than a tease" but Henry seemed unimpressed and merely waved his hand dismissively.

"I will tame the beast, do not worry about that" he declared with the utmost confidence. He had never been turned down and he was not going to allow a silly whore to spoil his immaculate record. She would relent just as easily as her sister had done before her.

"And for me?" Charles asked, bringing Henry's mind back to the wager. Charles couldn't help but wonder what poor little thing the King had in mind for him.

"A lady so pure and virtuous that she would put the Holy Mother to shame. I thought to have her for myself but found her so innocent that I could not bring myself to corrupt her" Henry announced, pouring his own goblet with the ruby red liquid before turning to Charles' and filling it right to the top. Yes, simply looking at this girl would cause her to blush uncontrollably and she would retreat to the safety of her brothers and father so that no man had the chance to hear her speak, let alone give her a kiss or take her to his bed. She was a rather sweet little creature actually.

"I could woo the wimple off a nun" Charles coolly announced as though it was no big thing, "Does said virgin have a name?"

"Jane, daughter of Sir John Seymour"

"Well then, a toast to the fair ladies. To Anne and Jane, long may we conquer them!" Charles toasted, lifting his goblet up in to the air and the two clinked their drinks together as Henry repeated, "Anne and Jane" after him.

Neither of them could wait for the chase and pursuit.

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><p>Jane Seymour was currently sat in her bedchamber with which she shared with her fellow lady-in-waiting Anne Boleyn. Although there were never two girls who could have been as different from each other as they were, they were the best of friends and practically inseparable. One might think they were sisters from the amount of time they shared in each other's company although their contrasting looks was a dead give away that they were not. At the moment, Jane was sat on her bed and watching with great awe as Anne sat at her dressing table and was rubbing rouge onto her cheeks.<p>

"I wish I was as beautiful as you" Jane sighed enviously all of a sudden and Anne stared at Jane's reflection in her mirror as though she was the strangest person in the world.

"Ha, I am not beautiful! Certainly no more beautiful than you, Jane. What a peculiar thing to say" she said, furrowing her brow at her friend. She did say some silly things at times.

"You are beautiful though, how else do you explain why there are so many men in love with you" Jane pointed out and Anne couldn't help but roll her eyes as she spun around on her little stool to look at her friend in the face.

"Beauty is not synonymous with love" she announced, "Men like me because of my wit, my charm, my style. We must take what graces God has given us and nurture them to our utmost ability"

"And what graces do I have?" she asked, unsure that she had any in the first places. Anne cocked her head and regarded her friend closely. She had so much potential and yet she never took advantage of it.

"Sweetness and innocence in abundance" she smiled kindly but Jane merely looked down at the floor glumly.

She didn't view these characteristics as graces at all, in fact she considered them more of a hindrance. She lacked the confidence and worldliness of her peers and so always got tongue tied around boys. But Anne continued with her words of wisdom that Jane always did find so comforting.

"And if you use these virtues carefully, you will have men flocking around you. Many men are enchanted by the sweet, virginal type" she explained. But Jane could not comprehend the notion. Weren't sweet, virginal girls thought of as dull and uninteresting? She was, after all, the standard wallflower in a court of roses.

"Will you teach me?" Jane asked her uncertainly and she was met with a look of pure annoyance from Anne.

"Of course I will!" she exclaimed, she was shocked that she even needed to ask. They were best friends! "And I will show you what clothes to wear which will best enhance your features" she informed her, jumping over on to the bed and playing with a stray curl that hung around from Jane's face. "You have such pretty hair and yet you never show it off. You are much more suited to pastel colours, and blue will bring your eyes out marvellously" Anne noted as she observed the girl's face and played with her hair as though she were a doll. Jane didn't seem to mind much and sat there as obedient and pliable as any doll could have been. And as they played around their conversation soon turned to typical girl talk and all those silly questions that young ladies loved to talk about.

"If you could be married to any man at court who would you choose? It does not matter if they are already married" Anne asked with her back turned as she raided her chest to find some lozenges to sweeten her breath.

"Any man?" Jane thought long and hard for a moment before a name popped into her head. "You swear you will not laugh?" she asked and made Anne promise. It always distressed her when people laughed or made fun of her. Once her brother Thomas made fun of her for mispronouncing a word in one of her books as a rude word, which had eventually reduced her to tears. It was only the loving arms of her father that calmed her down. Anne knew how sensitive Jane was to things like this and so she swore, remembering that she would have to bite down on her lip if she did say something amusing, to spare her feelings.

"I swear" Anne promised, hand in the air as she landed softly on the bed next to Jane and offered her one of her sweets whilst she placed one in her own mouth.

"I am rather fond of Thomas More" she quietly informed her, not being able to look her friend in the eye, and it took a moment for the name to sink in to Anne's mind. But when it did, she could not help but burst out into laughter.

"More! But Jane he is old" Anne almost choked from laughing too hard.

She remembered the socially stuffy and perfectly pious silver haired man and often wondered how a man so close to being priestly managed to conceive any of his four natural children in the first place. But the thought of sweet little Jane serving him on hand and foot, sighing longingly after him and trying to seduce him in bed made laugh out aloud.

Jane could feel her cheeks burn in humiliation at her friend's betrayal of her promise and her vision was becoming distorted as her usually bright turquoise eyes began to fill up with unborn tears.

"You swore you would not laugh!" she cried and Anne immediately did her best to cease her laughing, though she couldn't help but let out a little chuckle here or there, "And anyway, he is an admirable man. He is God fearing and a good father and he has the ear of the King. Though I confess my admiration for him is less romantic and more...platonic?" she replied uncertainly. In truth, she had never felt anything romantic for a man. Why did she need to marry when she had her father and her brothers to take care of her.

"Sensible Jane, always thinking with her head and not her heart" Anne smiled sincerely.

She always did regard Jane as the more sensible and grounded between the two of them and there was no shame in marrying someone for security. Anne liked to think of herself as a romantic. She was passionate and was in love with the idea of love. But her ambitious Boleyn nature made it impossible for her to fall in love with a nobody.

"Are you not going to ask me the same question?" she inquired, curious about Jane's own curiosity. But for once Jane regarded her with a self superior air.

"I already know the answer" Jane proclaimed rather haughtily, "You are still in love with Lord Percy" she announced and there was a sudden silence in the room between them. She knew instantly that she had gone too far in saying his name and regretted bringing it up now. Anne looked down into her lap and swallowed hard at hearing that name.

"I have not been in love with Henry Percy for almost a year now" she revealed, though the tone of sorrow and bitterness was still evident.

Henry Percy had been the perfect man for her. Charming, wealthy, handsome and powerful. A man she could love for being himself whilst still having the security and status that her Boleyn nature desired. She loved him so much it almost hurt and she was thrilled when he proposed that they should marry. But fate works in mysterious ways and they were forced to separate, never to see each other again. It was a hard lesson for Anne to learn but she never made the same mistake twice and now she protected her heart a lot more carefully.

She looked up and saw Jane was looking at her sympathetically, something which her pride would not allow her to accept. She put on a brave face and let out a chuckle as she continued with her conversation as though there had been no mention of Henry Percy.

"I suppose I would like Master Wyatt...if he were not such a ninny" she announced and the two girls burst into giggles at the thought of Thomas Wyatt mooning over Anne like a love sick puppy.

It was at this moment that a man entered the bedchamber unannounced, though this did not bother or alarm the two girls. It was none other than Anne's older brother, George Boleyn, and he watched the two girls giggling and whispering to each other, unaware that there was someone in the room.

"What are you two fiends giggling about?" he inquired as he sneaked up on Anne and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her backwards so that she fell into the bed. Noting her vulnerable position he took his opportunity to exploit her and he began to tickle her relentlessly as she writhed and wriggled beneath him.

"The secret desire of women's heart" she managed to cough out between laughter. Once she had managed to escape his grasp she hit him playfully on the shoulder as he seated himself with the two girls on the bed.

"Well then, I propose a swap. If you tell me said secret desires of women's heart I will share with you some good news" George bargained. But Anne was not impressed.

"And betray my fellow sisters so that you can acquire your victims more easily? Never! Now tell me what news you have or I'll box your ears" she jested in good fun and Jane let out a soft laugh as George made a face of mock outrage. The Boleyn siblings were always very good at theatrics.

"Very well. The King is organising a special masquerade for the Queen's birthday and has invited the sisters Boleyn to take part in the entertainments" he revealed and Anne's face transformed into a look of pure wonderment as she imagined herself dancing in the middle of the great hall in front of the King and Queen in a stunning dress that would make all the men lust after her.

"You are blessed with good luck Anne Boleyn" Jane sighed enviously once again, "You get to do everything"

"Ah, do not look so glum my dear Jane" George turned to Jane and he stroked her cheek in a familiar manner, though Jane did not think it improper as she regarded George as an almost honorary brother. "I have seen the list of who is to take part and your name is firmly upon it" he revealed. Jane could not believe her ears.

"Truly?" she asked suspiciously.

"Truly!" he confirmed in a playful whisper and it seemed that it brought both Anne and George more delight to see Jane happy than it brought Jane delight to take part in the royal masquerade.


	2. The Masquerade

"Come Anne, we will be late for the rehearsal" Jane chastised her friend who was sat at her dressing table gliding her mother's ornate hairbrush through her raven tresses. Anne always brushed her hair exactly one hundred times every morning, as it was said that it would give you lovely, shiny hair if you did so. Secretly, she loved to brush her hair. It was such a soothing chore and it helped her to calm down and relax when she had exploded into one of her infamous temper tantrums. Jane knew that she was perfectly capable of rivalling King Henry with her fiery temper that often got her into trouble.

"You know I never leave the room without looking my best" Anne reminded her as she looked into her mirror and continued to brush...93...94...95...

"But you always look beautiful" Jane complimented in a bid to get her to hurry up, though she was not lying. She had always admired Anne's luscious, dark locks. She always kept it in the best of conditions and wore it loose with pride.

"That is because I work at it" Anne smirked at her friend who was now hovering anxiously over her dressing table. "There, all done" she announced and placed the brush back on to the dresser, careful not to scratch the wood beneath.

The two ladies made their way down the corridor in a somewhat fast paced walk and almost broke into a run as they noted the time and saw their destination in sight. As they opened the door to the Great Hall, all the courtiers involved in the Masquerade turned to look at them, some giving them friendly waves of greeting whilst others narrowed their eyes in contempt at them. Even at the tender ages of seventeen and nineteen, the two girls already had enemies, although for the most part this was due to their brothers and fathers rather than any slur upon their character. It seemed though that Anne was steadfast making enemies of her own out of the ladies of the court who disliked her for unashamed boldness and fliratatious manner.

The pair began to mingle with the crowd until a short, stocky man with a full head of thick, ever so slightly greying hair stepped forward and tapped a great big staff against the wooden floor which grabbed everyone's attention.

"His Majesty the King has ordered for a special masquerade for the birthday of his wife, Queen Catherine. It is to be inspired by the Seven Virtues, all which her Majesty the Queen possesses in her great nature. His Majesty has given **me** the great honour of producing said masquerade, and I will be damned if I am going to let any of you mess it up for me, so be warned!" he glared at the congregation menacingly.

He then went on to explain what he planned for the performance. It was somewhat similar to the performance of 'The Attack of Chateau Vert', only this time it was to be the men that were being held captive by the Seven Deadly Sins and only the Virtues could set them free. Then a dance would ensue between the men and the Virtuous women which would eventually lead to the whole of the court dancing before the Queen in a flurry of colours. The master took out his scroll of parchment and opened up as though it was a very important matter.

"The sisters Boleyn" he called aloud and the two girls stepped forward with military precision, "you are to represent the virtues of Patience" he looked to Anne, "And chastity" he turned his head to Mary,. The latter announcement however was met with a loud chorus of wolf whistles and laughter at the irony of Mary Boleyn playing a virtue which she most certainly did not possess. She was without a doubt the most unchaste woman at court. She couldn't help but let out a little giggle herself at this and gave a cheeky wink to one of the gentleman close by who was eyeing her up.

"That's enough!" the master called for order and was about to carry on with his duty when Mistress Parker stepped forward in protest.

"Mary should not allowed to be Chastity, it is a mockery to the Queen!" she exclaimed. Secretly Jane Parker was rather jealous of the Boleyn sisters, who seemed to have bewitched the court with their beauty and wit. They always received the best parts in masquerades and they even got to play in the Chateau Vert masque for the Imperial Ambassador. But even if she was not jealous, she still found the matter in bad taste. After all, Mary Boleyn had once been the mistress of the King. Even if Mistress Parker hadn't have been jealous of the two sisters, it was still distasteful to rub the fact in the Queen's nose.

"Perhaps Mary should play Lust" Anne voiced her opinion, giving a mischievous look at her pretty sister who returned it with a sly grin.

"Hmmm, that's an idea" the man thought, "Alright, I was going to have Mistress Sheldon play Lust but that can be rearranged. And I think we'll have...Mistress Seymour as Chastity" he announced after a long pause as he suddenly spotted the pale, angelic girl who looked like the epitome of chastity and modesty. Jane didn't seem to mind this, in fact she was secretly hoping that she would get to play either Chastity or Kindness, her two most attainable virtues.

"So what am I going to be?" Madge asked hopefully with her lazy tongue that made her lisp slightly.

"Gluttony" Sir Knivert mumbled under his breath to his friend William Compton, but Madge heard this and cast him a poisonous look.

"I think you would make a good Humility" the master replied and Madge seemed quite content in her part, happy that she was playing a Virtue instead of a Vice.

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><p>It was early evening and the whole court was in attendance at the Great Hall as they eagerly awaited the start of the play which ensued their masked ball. Waiting in wings was a group of seven men headed by King Henry. He thought himself clever and didn't think that anyone would recognise who he was since he was in disguise. But the court was not stupid, he was hard to miss with his great height and burly figure. He essentially stuck out like a sore thumb, however everyone was smart enough to play along with him and not spoil the King's fun as they did not want to be the cause of his infamous wrath.<p>

The men were peering through a velvet curtain that was draped over an archway that led into the hall. It wouldn't be long until the production now. Charles had been spying on the women, not just the Vices and the Virtues, but the lower noblewomen who lined the perimeter of the hall, and he was rather enchanted by the backside of a mousy haired girl not far from where he was standing. But no, he had to keep his mind on the game now. He wanted a real challenge and he was determined to rule as regent, even if it was only for a week.

"Which one is Mistress Seymour?" Charles whispered in the King's ear, eager to scope out his victim as he searched the hall for Jane.

"She is Chastity, dressed in white with golden hair" Henry pointed out to his friend and Charles followed his trail to the far corner of the hall where a petite blonde girl stood, dressed in a long flowing white dress that was embroidered in fine gold thread. She wore her hair down in loose curls with white lillies adorning them. As with all the women, she wore a silken sash that read her virtue. 'Chastity'.

"And you are sure she is beautiful?" he questioned. Not that he doubted the girl's beauty from what he could see of it, but at the moment her face was half covered by a golden Venetian mask that all the Virtues were wearing, and he had a sudden feeling that she might be hiding an unsightly face beneath it.

"I assure you. You will see for yourself once her mask is removed" Henry informed him, pushing his own golden mask over his face and bidding Charles do the same so that they could get ready to take part in the festivities. They were about to go on.

The men marched out into the centre of the hall clad in golden armour and were soon closed in by the Seven Deadly Sins. The ladies were magnificently dressed in colourful costumes. Jane Parker was dressed in a forest green gown and adorn with emeralds as she advanced in as Envy, whilst Mary Boleyn waltzed up in that playful manner she did in a gown of crimson satin that had a significantly lower bust line in comparison to all the others ladies. A fact which seemed to delight her. Most of the ladies seemed to adore their beautiful costumes and the only one who was not satisfied with hers was Madge Sheldon, who found her gown too plain and simple in comparison to some of the more magnificent gowns of her peers, even though she should have expected to have a plainer gown since she was playing 'Humility'. The Vices encircled the men and proclaimed they had them forever imprisoned.

After a speech by the Master, who spoke of how men had fallen victim to these most deadliest of sins, the Virtues gathered up and walked into the centre of the hall, led by Anne who had inadvertently become the head of the group with her natural leadership.

"Be not afraid men" she called out, "You can free yourself from these Sins if only you accept us Virtues into your heart!" she theatrically cried and the whole audience seemed captivated by her mere presence.

"They will never accept you. Men are weak, they do not think for themselves and when they do it is only with their...well, you know what I mean" Mary Boleyn taunted and made a gesture that had the whole crowd roaring with laughter. Even Queen Catherine could not help but emit a small chuckle at her theatrics although thought it a little vulgar for her tastes.

"Stand aside, Lust" Jane came forward and was now level with Anne. "For whilst men may be tempted by your beauty they will always cast you aside for me. You may be the Spring Love, but I am the blushing bride who they always return too" she exclaimed with a hint of suggestiveness in her tone and a few of the men in the crowd wolf whistled at her. Well, there was always a first time for everything, Jane thought. She had tried to object to the sensuality of her one line that the Master had given her but he assured her that it would not be considered distasteful as marital relations was the only acceptable form of chaste love there was.

The exchange between the Vices and Virtues went on for a bit longer and then finally a battle ensued. The Virtues attacked the Vices with hidden baskets full of each Virtue's symbolic flower and the Vices were pushed backwards and out of the Hall as the crowd cheered. The men thanked the Virtues and swore allegiance to their respective partner. The King, naturally, was the first one to speak.

He had manipulated the situation to suit his own tastes. Earlier in the afternoon he saw the list of who was playing what part in the production and when he saw Anne's name on the list he demanded that he got dance with her as Lady Patience. He also made sure that Charles didn't have an easy time himself with the bet, and had it arranged so that he was to dance with Charity, played by Nan Saville, whilst Jane was arranged to dance with George Boleyn, which she did not mind so much since her family were not able to attend this evening and she thought of him as an honorary brother.

Henry stepped forward into the centre of the hall, his ego being fed in the knowledge that all eyes were upon him and all the women were sighing at him. He went over to Anne and knelt down before her, taking her hand and kissing it gallantly.

"Lady Patience, I am yours" he announced and the whole court cheered and began to clap. Anne waited for the noise to die down before she spoke.

"Well then you must wait my Lord, for patience is a virtue" she mocked which once again made the whole court burst into laughter. Henry didn't know whether to laugh along with them or to be outarged that anyone spoke to him in this way so publicly but he decided to let it go since it was only a play. She was a feisty one, this Boleyn. Anne let go off his hand and walked away towards her fellow Virtues and Jane was gob smacked that she had acted in such a way towards the King.

But Henry was not deterred and instead brought himself back up on to his feet.

"I am sure that patience is not a virtue that a King can afford" he revealed, removing his mask and throwing it into the crowd as they pretended to gasp as this 'surprise'. They had seen it all before and Thomas Boleyn in particularly had perfected the art of deceiving and flattering the King.

"A King?" Anne followed suit and threw her hand up to her mouth as though shocked before she fell into a graceful curtsey, "I am sorry your Majesty, I did not recognise you dressed in your costume. I have never seen a King play dress up before. And I have met the King of France!" she jested and Henry let out a hearty laugh. Anything that was a slur on the King of France made him delightfully happy.

"So what say you, Mistress Boleyn?" he offered her his hand and she stared at it warily for a moment.

"Ahh, I think the King has mistook me for my sister, I am Anne" she informed him, seeing the chance to have the attention placed back upon her again. She never did like being outdone by anyone, not even a King, and she undid the ribbon of the mask and pulled it aside to reveal her face.

A highly unusual face, Henry thought. Whilst she was certainly not ugly, there was none of the usual features that created an aesthetically pleasing face. It was shaped almost like a heart but had a wide nose at it's centre, with nostrils too big and flared for their own good, making her highly resemblant to a raging bull. Even her smile was strange, being unsymmetrical and lopsided, but this did not hinder her. In fact it made her seem all the more lovely and Henry observed that when she smiled her face contorted into a more flattering form which was far more pleasant to look at. He wished she would always smile for she could only be called beautiful when she did. And on top of this, she had dark eyes that seemed to sparkle intelligently, as though she knew something that no one else knew. It totally captivated him.

"I find this Boleyn more pleasing to my eye" he admitted, and Anne couldn't help but wonder what Mary thought about this proclimation.

"Well then your Majesty" Anne began, taking small steps towards her King, "I should very much like to continue pleasing you" she announced and placed her hand within his as he led her into a dance.

* * *

><p>Anne Boleyn had been dancing with the King for over an hour and was the talk of the court. But whilst most people were preoccupied with the love life of the King, Charles Brandon was on a mission to resolve his own matters of the heart and have fun with it in the proccess. He had been observing Mistress Seymour all evening but he had yet to glance at her face, which was hidden safely beneath her mask as though it would protect her from would be predators. Finally, after finding the perfect opportunity, he approached her whilst she helped herself to a goblet of wine from one of the pages.<p>

"My Lady?" Charles approached her and Jane turned around shocked to see a man standing before her. She never was good around men and began to fidget whilst she tried to think of a way to excuse herself and flee to the safety of George Boleyn but before she had the chance to speak Charles presented her with a diamond necklace. "I believe this belongs to you?" he inquired.

Suddenly, she softened considerably at the man and smiled at him warmly. She knew that the Duke of Suffolk had quite the reputation and he was regarded by many as nothing but a rogue, but to Jane he appeared quite the gentleman.

"Goodness, I did not even know it was lost. Thank you" she smiled at him as she brought her hand to her neck and touched the bare skin on which the cool jewel had hung from. Charles continued with his gentlemanly approach and helped her by putting the necklace around her neck and fastening the clasp. He stepped back and admired it upon her, though took the opportunity to leer at her bosum whilst he did so.

Yet poor Jane had been deceived and unbeknown to her she had not lost the jewel in the first place. Charles had paid for one of the pages who were running errands throughout the ball to discreetly remove the necklace from her neck when he got the first chance and when he received it, he then slipped the jewel into his pocket until the opportune moment arose. And he wasn't about to act the gallant hero for long as he cheekily reminded her,

"You know, it is polite to offer some sort of reward when a belonging is returned to you"

"Oh" she exclaimed, turning red. "I cannot think of what to give you" she replied, a little embarrassed. She was usually good at etiquette but being about a man seemed to have frazzled her usually so orderly and sensible mind and she could not think coherently at the moment. But Charles saved her dignity by offering her his hand and he smiled at her whilst announcing,

"I think a dance would more than suffice."

Not knowing what else to do she took hold of his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. Yet whilst all the other couples around them were talking with great ease and being merry, Charles and Jane were dancing silently. What bothered Charles even more was the fact that Jane had still not removed her mask. He had never wanted something so much as to see her face and it was becoming a bit of an obsession for him now.

"Are you not going to remove your mask, my lady? All the others have done so" he observed and pointed out that all the other men and women around them were now free of their masks, despite the fact that the whole ball was being referred to as a masquerade.

"I do not think you would be pleased with what you find beneath it" was her self conscious reply. She hated standing next to all these beautiful women. She felt that on an ordinary day she might be able to at least equal their beauty if she made herself up like Anne had shown her, but when they were all dressed up they far surpassed her looks. In her mind at least anyway. And despite being best friends with Anne, she secretly hated standing next to her as she seemed to fade into the background whilst Anne lit the room up with her beauty and grace.

"Nonsense!" Charles dismissed, "And even if you were I am good at lying" he leant in and whispered with a chuckle. Before she had time to protest though, he slipped a finger behind her ear and began to unlace the ribbon himself, pulling the mask away from her face. He was not disappointed by what he saw. He was certain he was staring at a Boticelli painting as he saw a completely angelic face staring back at him with her huge blue eyes. She had a delicate face that looked as though it were made from porcelain imported from China at the King's bequest and it was almost kitten like in shape. Her nose was was slight and partially upturned at the tip and below it lay a pretty primrose mouth that was small but wide and formed into the most charming, coy smile. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, Henry had done well in choosing her.

"See. Beautiful" he told her, tracing the outline of her face down to her chin with his thumb. But this intimacy startled Jane a little and she took a step back from the imposing Duke.

"I must go" she blushed, realising that people were looking at the two of them now that Charles was invading her personal space. She made to move away from him but before she had the chance to escape, he grabbed her gently by the arm.

"Wait, will you not tell me your name?" he asked even though he already knew it. This way it would make his intentions seem more honourable and was less likely to arouse her suspicions. He wanted to seem like a knight of old rather than the lecherous womaniser everyone knew he was.

"Jane Seymour" she quickly replied before turning away and fleeing back to the safety of George who was eyeing Charles up suspiciously. He was just as protective of Jane as he was of Anne and Mary. More so perhaps, as his sisters were at least wise to the world and had great court smarts whilst Jane was just a sweet, naive child who was completely innocent of the ways of the world.


	3. The Favour

The masquerade went on until the early hours of the morning and it was only when her brother George approached her to tell her that poor Jane was tired that Anne decided that she had best leave and let Jane get some sleep. She was slightly resentful of her friend as the three of them walked back arm in arm to the ladies' bed chamber. Anne was a magnificent dancer and she could have danced until dawn and still not be tired. But she knew how delicate Jane was, and she supposed it was a little unfair to keep her up just for her own pleasure. George kissed them both on the cheek as he brought them safely to their door and then disappeared down the draughty corridor as fast as though he were a ghost. Jane almost collapsed on to the bed when she got inside and felt like going to sleep in her dress rather than changing into her night gown but Anne insisted that this was a ridiculous idea and began to unlace the bodice her herself.

"What was it like, dancing with the King?" Jane asked as she lay on her front whilst Anne continued to loosen her clothes. She couldn't help but sigh dreamily at the thought of being taken into the King's arm and dancing with him all night long, what an honour it must have been.

"Over rated" was Anne's indifferent reply and Jane flipped on to her back to see whether she was joking or not. But before she had time to say anything, Anne continued. "I saw you were dancing with the Duke of Suffolk" she observed with a wry smile.

"Yes" she said, crashing back to reality and she stiffened up all of a sudden at being reminded. It was strange, every time she thought of the Duke her heart raced and for the rest of the night she could not help but think about his fine sapphire eyes and bright smile. She would even peer about from behind George to take a sly look at the man and whenever he looked into her direction and caught her staring at him she would turn bright red and cast her eye around the hall as if she was searching for someone. Anne thought it was rather sweet that Jane seemed to be a little love struck by the Duke but she couldn't help but be a little concerned for her. Poor Jane was so naive of men, she probably couldn't even comprehend the thought that they could use you for their desire and then cast you aside as though you never meant a thing to them.

"Be careful of him Jane! He would have you in his bed at the bat of an eyelash" she bluntly informed her. Well, there was no point beating about the bush. She had to be told these things and the cruder the message, the more firmer it would remain in her mind.

"You would know this?" Jane raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Anne did not even try and bother to hide her outrage at the accusation.

"He has quite the reputation. He tried to add me to the many notches on his bedpost" she informed her, "He failed, I might add!" she announced, resenting the fact that her friend seemed to think so little of her at times. Jane looked down at her bed covers, quietly ashamed that she had thought such things about Anne. She knew she was flirtatious but she doubted that she would ever stoop to such a thing. Even if she was tempted her pride would never allow her.

"What did you and the King talk about?" she tried to change the subject. "When you were dancing?"

"Poetry mostly. He seems to believe himself some what a lyrical genius. He has nothing on poor Wyatt" she laughed at the thought of the sandy haired poet who wore his heart on his sleeve. Poor fool, he really didn't have a clue, did he?

"He was watching you again all night, did you not see?"

"I did" was her simple reply and now it was Jane's turn to help Anne out of her dress. Anne jerked forward a little as Jane began to tug ferociously at the bodice as she tried her best to loosen the darned thing though she lacked the upper body strength to do so. Sometimes she wished that George would stay true to his word and come in with a dagger to cut their bodices apart like he often jested he would. It would be much easier than trying to pull it all apart. "Careful!" Anne chastised her.

"Sorry! But you know you should not tease him so, it is cruel" she gently scolded her. She had rather a soft spot for the sweet and sensitive poet. She knew Anne did not mean to lead him on, it's just how she was, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor man.

"I do not encourage him in his pursuit, he is a married man!" she defended herself a little too angrily for Jane's liking as she spun around to give her a dirty look and almost whipped her with her long, dark hair. Jane supposed that Anne must have been in a mood with her because it was due to her that she had to leave the masquerade and so not fancying another verbal berating, merely undid the rest of Anne's dress in silence before returning to her own bed, getting dressed beneath the covers and waited for Anne to snuff the candle out.

* * *

><p>It was morning now and King Henry had invited Charles Brandon to his private chambers for a spot of breakfast before a hard afternoon of reading and signing tedious documents that seemed to form a never ending pile upon his desk. At the moment he was tempted to let Charles win the bet just so he could have a week off but he had his sights set on those fine horses of his and he would be damned if he would let Charles beat him again. The arm wrestling contest was still a sore subject for him and his wounded ego.<p>

The two men were sat at a little wooden table that was gilded with the finest of gold, and in the middle sat a great silver bowl filled with delicious local fruits and a silver platter filled with cold meats. The sun was shinning brightly through the window though they could tell it was a cold day out as they observed that the wind was making the tree branches dance in the distance as they swayed too and fro.

"So, how did you like Mistress Seymour?" Henry asked as he took a rosy red apple and bit into it with a loud crunch.

"Very well indeed. I cannot wait to pluck such ripe fruit" he smirked as he bit into a juicy plum, the purple liquid squirted from within and it dribbled down his chin. "How goes it with Lady Anne?" he asked with his mouth half full.

"I am taking my time. She is indeed a rare jewel of womanhood. I intend to prolong the pursuance for the utmost experience" he announced, thinking back to Anne fondly. He had never been so captivated by a woman before. She was not just enchanting to look at, which can be achieved by almost any woman with enough cosmetics, no she was bold and witty. Charles was right when he told him that she could hold her own and it seemed to thrill Henry all the more. Yes, he would take his time with her and saviour the chase before he had her in his bed. It would only make the act sweeter in itself.

"And what is next in your great master plan?" Charles inquired. He knew that Henry would have some magnificent plan to set things into motion.

"I propose a grand tournament, like those of old. There's nothing that quite wins the heart of fair damsels than a knight in shinning armour" he observed and the two men burst into laughter as they helped themselves to more of the delicacies that lay before them.

* * *

><p>Ten days later and the whole court was pouring into the stands to watch the grand tournament that the King had organised. There hadn't been a tournament in almost a year and although there was a little drizzle in their air and it was slightly chilly out, it certainly did not dampen their spirits or enthusiasm. The roar from the crowd could be heard almost a mile away and currently there was great amusement by the fact that the Duke of Norfolk had been knocked out of the tournament by a lower knight. Anne was secretly delighted that her Uncle had been so publicly humiliated. He was always so high and mighty and ever since he had heard that the King was interested in Anne he began plotting and planning all sorts for her. But Anne was determined that she would play this game her own way.<p>

Anne and Jane had brilliant seats at the tournament as Queen Catherine had decided to bring ten of her ladies into the royal box with her. She always did have a soft spot for sweet Jane Seymour, who she thought of as honorary daughter due to her pious and kind nature, traits that were rarely found in this court. And though she was not as fond of the Boleyn sisters she knew she had to take one with her due to protocol and thought it would be wiser to take Anne rather than Mary, considering past events. So Anne and Jane sat side by side on the row below the Queen, who was elevated high up so that the whole stadium could see and admire her. The two girls were chatting away and gossiping when they were met by a pleasant surprise.

King Henry was up against William Compton and was already astride his dusky grey horse when he decided to play up to the crowd and pay the ladies of the court a visit. The whole crowd went silent as they observed their King trotting up to the royal box, his lance balanced effortlessly in his great, muscular arms. They all supposed that he was going to greet his Queen and Catherine, who also thought this, sat up all the straighter and couldn't help but burst into a bright smile at seeing her handsome husband approaching her. But everyone was in shock when it turned out it wasn't his wife who he was going to visit, but rather Anne Boleyn.

"Mistress Boleyn, you are well I trust?" he inquired, taking his horse as close as he could to the wooded railing of the stand. Anne was a little shocked by the situation herself but she hid it well under her cool exterior and merely stood up and walked to the railings, leaning on them so she could privately converse with her King. Henry couldn't help but admire her fine figure which was clad in crimson velvet and accentuated with mink trimming. The warm colours complimented her brilliant dark eyes and Henry seemed to fall in love with her a little more.

"Very well your Majesty. All the better for seeing you" she smiled that lop sided smile of hers and his heart almost skipped a beat.

"Might I be permitted to wear your favour?" he asked, his voice quivering with nerves and desire. By God she looks so beautiful, he thought.

"Should that honour not go to the Queen, your majesty? You are, after all, her champion" Anne casually observed.

"It should" he lowered his voice and leant in to whisper into her ear, "but the past few times that it has, I have lost. I think I am in need of a new mascot" he smiled at her mischievously as he pulled away and Queen Catherine's heart sank as she observed the intimate goings on beneath her. How she longed for her husband to whisper sweet nothings in her ear like that again.

"How very gallant!" Anne mocked him with with wide, unimpressed eyes, "But I do not give my favours so freely, especially to knights who profess to constantly losing. Prove your worth and I might consider it" she teased before turning away and sitting back with the other ladies. Catherine watched her closely and studied her face. If only she could read thoughts, she would find out what Mistress Boleyn was up to. Then she remembered that if she could indeed read thoughts she would use this knowledge to entice her husband once more, not waste her time fretting about silly girls like the Boleyn sisters.

The King went on to be victorious against Master Compton and proceeded in knocking him of his horse. Another horse to add to his endless collection. Jane was horrified at the sight of the bloodied and bruised Compton, who had to be carried out of the arena by three men and was quickly followed by a surgeon. But Anne seemed to love the blood and gore of the jousts. The speed and danger thrilled her and she was eagerly awaiting the next match. But Jane was beginning to feel a little queasy. Although she did like to watch the jousts she had seen one bloody face too many and so she asked to be excused by Queen who gave her permission to walk about the stadium until she felt better.

She hadn't been out of the stand a minute when she was greeted by the cheery face of George Boleyn who looked delighted to see her. He jogged over to her and wrapped his arm around hers as they began to walk arm in arm away from the arena.

"Jane, I am glad I have found you. I have a favour to ask of you" he informed her and Jane was intrigued by what he could possibly want.

"What is it?"

"Will you find your brother and tell him he knows to much for his own good?" he instructed more than asked her as he discreetly placed a burgundy draw string purse into the palm of her hand. It took her a moment to figure out what it was until the clatter of metal betrayed it's secret. Jane looked up at him perfectly puzzled and he let out a light chuckle as he took her face in his hand and stroked her hair back away from her face, "Go on, he will know what I mean"

It seemed she had little choice in the matter. She was glad that Edward and her father was back at court but she hated the fact that she seemed to be their private errand girl with all the running backwards and forth she did for them. Usually she didn't mind so much but she hated having to transport money which she reckoned was purchased through gambling. But as obedient as ever, she took the mission in her stride and was soon on her way, wandering around the grounds trying to seek her brother as she went in between the many colourful tents that filled the place up.

Ten minutes later and she still had not found her brother. She knew what tent she was looking for, it was a brilliant mixture of powdered blue and yellow which was decorated with sparrows that Jane herself had embroidered. But there seemed to be no blue tents in sight, never mind that belonging to the Seymour clan. She let out a sigh of frustration as she heard the crowd give out a mighty cheer and she knew she had missed something good. Oh well, I will just have to ask Anne about it later, she thought.

"Lady Jane?" a familiar voice called out to her and Jane turned around to see the Duke of Suffolk walking up to her as he proceeded to put his gauntlet on.

"Your Grace!" Jane exclaimed in surprise and fell into a clumsy curtsey. She was just glad that the Duke could not see her knees as they knocked against each other under her gown and she was sure they would collapse beneath her at any moment. Charles returned her curtsey with a low bow from the waist.

"You are enjoying the tournament?" he inquired in a gentle tone.

"Very much so, your Grace" she lied. Anne always made fun of her for being so squeamish. She was always the same and more so at the bear baiting which was soon to come. She couldn't help but pity the poor helpless animals and she would rather set them free than see them being tormented for people's amusement. Her brothers told her she was too soft for her own good and even her father told her that he doubted she was a Seymour some times, for she was far too compassionate.

You are to joust soon?" she dumbly asked, observing his armour that shone brightly in the sun.

"Yes, against your brother no less" he informed her and Jane's mouth fell open.

"Edward!" she didn't realise that Edward was to joust so soon. She had better hurry up and find him whilst she could or else he might not have an arm to accept the purse. "Then I pity my poor brother, I have heard you are an excellent jouster" she unintentionally flattered him and she felt stupid for saying something that might be interpreted in the wrong manner.

"But your brother is an excellent horseman, I am sure he will prove himself capable" was his modest reply, although secretly he was confident of a victory.

"I only hope that your Grace shows him mercy and is lenient" she prayed and bowed her head solemnly at the thought that something bad might happen to her dear brother, for as much as it was bad to admit, Edward was her favourite sibling and she would be devastated if some tragedy should befall him. Charles was warmed by the girl's obviously loving nature and decided that he would try to brighten the situation with a gallant request.

"I am glad I found you actually, Jane" he began, capturing Jane's attention as her head flew up from the floor and he in return began to play the shy card with her as he pretended to look down at the floor sheepishly, "I have my horse, my lance, my armour but am in want of a favour. Might I be permitted to wear yours?" he asked with a discreet grin, he enjoyed watching her get flustered and flustered she was.

"I...er...of course your Grace" she stuttered after a moment of pure dazzlement at such a request, but when he looked up at her once again she became captivated by his sapphire eyes and fell completely under his spell. She quickly unwrapped the turquoise and pink ribbon from around her wrist and placed it into his hand. He clutched on to it as though it were made of pure gold and brought it to his lips to kiss. Jane couldn't help but smile involuntarily at the romantic gesture and Charles was happy to see his plan coming to fruitition as he observed that she was falling for him fast.

"If only it was your hand" he gently whispered but before Jane could respond their sweet moment was interrupted when Edward Seymour emerged from between a village of tents not far from where the couple were stood as he prepared to make his way to the jousting arena. At seeing his sister conversing with the Duke of Suffolk, he rushed to tighten the leather strap of his chest armour as he marched over to collect his sister.

"Jane!" Edward called out, casting suspicious glances at Charles as he took hold of his sister's hand quite roughly. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. Jane seemed overwhelmed by all the goings on, why was Edward so angry? She was only talk to the Duke after all. She came back to her senses and retrieved the purse which she had tied to her waist.

"George Boleyn bid me to give you these coins, he said you know too much for your own good and that you would know what this meant" she relayed to him, placing the purse into his hand handing. Edward looked at her suspiciously as though he could tell if she was lying by studying her face. "And I wanted to wish you good luck" she cleverly thought up, remembering that he would be jousting in a minute, and she stood up on her tip toes and planted a loving kiss upon his cheek. Edward's heart immediately softened and he instantly believed what she had told him.

"I do not need good luck" he smirked at her, "Go on get back to the stands or you will miss my big moment" he instructed her, gently pushing at the small of her back in an effort to steer her back towards the stands. She obeyed like the good little sister she was but she could not help but turn around and take a last peek at Charles who gave her a discreet wink in return before she left to return to the arena. This just left the two men standing next to each other and eyeing each up other up as they readied themselves for the ensuing match.

"Your Grace" Edward was the first to back down from what was quickly turning into a staring out match, and he gave a cold bow of the head as he turned his back before Charles could return it.

Well, an older suspicious brother would make it harder to win the bet, he thought to himself as he thought upon the reputation of the oldest of the Seymour children. He was often referred to as a cold fish, too ambitious for his own good and would do anything to better his position or else destroy someone else's. He wouldn't like to think what Edward was capable off if he knew his true intentions towards his favourite sister. He probably wouldn't even let her out of his sight whilst he was back at court. Well, he'd soon find a way around that and the image of what he would have to sacrifice in order to help him win the bet made him cringe slightly as he braced himself for the match.


End file.
